Marc Bernal was one of the two casualties for Barcelona in their recent 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid. The young midfielder picked up a knock and had to be subbed off around the hour mark.
The ongoing discussions regarding future structural changes to the game, such as the introduction of new tournaments (eg. Fifa Club World Cup), further intensify this challenge. These changes have the potential to significantly reduce the downtime available to elite players, affecting their recovery and overall well-being.
Rice continues to quietly deliver. A five‑point return last week came from a clean sheet and DEFCON bonus - the equivalent of an assist in disguise. His underlying creativity has been superb: over the last six gameweeks, he's produced 16 key passes and generated 1.67 expected assists. Add set‑piece duties and constant 90‑minute reliability, and he's the picture of consistency. With Bukayo Saka sidelined, Rice could take on even more responsibility in attack.